From Dream to Reality
Members in the south areas of Palm Beach County were traveling twenty miles either north or south to attend chapter sorority meetings and functions. This was taking a toll on the members. H. Ruth Pompey envisioned starting a chapter in South County. She knew she needed to get more members involved in her vision. In December of 1980, twenty South Palm Beach County members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated began working diligently toward the establishment of a chapter in the South Palm Beach County Area.
Ruth Pompey wrote and distributed a newsletter entitled “Alpha Bits” to members in South Palm Beach County. The “Alpha Bits” became the official newsletter of the group. There was a section on “Meet The Sorors” which was a biographical sketch of each member. However, the main idea conveyed in these ‘bits” of Alpha news was “Why Not Get A Chapter In This Area?”
On January 6, 1982, H. Ruth Pompey invited members to a luncheon at her home in Delray Beach to discuss the possibility of chartering a chapter. After the luncheon, a formal interest group was formed and each member paid an initial fee of $5.00. The following members were: Maureen Gains Alexander, Vernise W. Butler, Diane Brown, Dorothy Edmonds*, Rosemary Erwin, Deloris Fields, Nadine Hart*, Phyllis Hill, Sandra Hill, M. Sue Jackson, Barbara Norris, Sherrill, Owens*, H. Ruth Pompey*, Mary E. Randolph*, Kathryn Key Simmons, Yvonne Blocker Sims, and Ramona Wright.
Regional Director, Mary Shy Scott conducted an on-site visit on the third Sunday in September 1982. The names of the interest group members were submitted to the National Office, and we were on our way to being approved.
Members: Margaret McFaddenk, Alicia Dobard, Jouncie Darcia Hill, Katrena Randolph, and Patricia Ann Scott were added to the interest group. Before receiving the Chapter’s charter, we were very active in the local communities. We sponsored a tutorial program, attended local church services, worked with senior citizens, and organized fundraising activities. Nineteen of the twenty members in our interest group attended the Neighborhood Meeting (precursor to the Cluster Meeting concept) in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Finally, our “Dream Became a Reality”. In February of 1983, our Regional Director, Mary Shy Scott, issued our Charter and we received our chapter’s name, Xi Pi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
*Denotes member as deceased